Mark E Smith died yesterday. He was the founder and only constant member of The Fall. Since forming the band in 1979, he sacked about about sixty members, which is why The Fall were once described as “Mark and whoever he hasn’t fallen out with”. Famously difficult, he never compromised about anything. He genuinely didn’t give a toss whether people liked either him and as the old saying goes “You can’t beat a man who doesn’t care”. Mark E Smith was a true cultural icon and I liked everything about him apart from his music. Does that make me a heathen? John Peel, Frank Skinner, Danny Baker and countless others would doubtless say yes but I found The Fall unlistenable. Particularly their dreadful version of this. Apparently you either “got” them or you didn’t and sadly, I never did. But boy did I get Northern Soul and Motown.